Andy Laub they call me "The Solution"

Instead of releasing the actual game, Sony instead decided we would like this trailer they made for Gran Turismo 5:

0:12 – That’s a city. It looks… okay.
0:17 – Headlights in a tunnel? Kind of neat, but not something I’d want in a racing game.
0:23 – Why do these cities always look abandoned?
0:34 – Nurburgring. Eh.
0:38 – Car commercial shot.
0:54 – From that previous comment to here, this trailer is awesome.
0:55 – And now I’m bored.
0:55 – Mercedes’ should not be red.
0:58 – That’s better.
1:06 – ACTIVE AERO.
1:12 – Is the front plate really necessary?
1:20 – Stock cars…?
1:29 – Pit crews – that’s cool!
1:36 – That damage is fantastic!
1:40 – Ferraris should be red.
1:55 – They have all these gratuitous glamour shots when really you’re either going to be seeing the back of your car or the steering wheel 100% of the time.
2:25 – Gran Turismo 5: coming… some day?

So in summary:

1. Active aero is cool.
2. Pit crews are cool.
3. More detailed / extreme damage is cool.
4. I don’t care that much about GT5.

When I was younger, I went a couple times with my dad to the Greater Milwaukee Auto Show. At the time I considered it to be the greatest thing in the world, as I was interested primarily in new cars and that’s what I got.

The thing with the Milwaukee show is that it was put on by the car dealers of Milwaukee, so the exhibits were limited to whatever cars they had on hand (which were admittedly nice), and anything above and beyond that could only be considered a favor from the manufacturer (like such as a concept car that’s already made its rounds to the “big” shows).

I returned there as an adult (debatably), and while it was still enjoyable, I decided next year it would be worth the extra time to check out the Chicago Auto Show – a “real” industry event that takes place around the same time, but where manufacturers are happy to spend all kinds of money to get you take a second look at their offerings.

2010 marks the first year I’ve made it back to the show (or Chicago, sadly) since 2006, as life and general apathy seem to have gotten in the way in the successive years. But finally, finally I committed to getting back down there, and had a great time in the city, only a minor part of which was spent at the auto show itself.

Notable Inclusions

I don’t know that there were any cars that I was genuinely surprised to see there. Perhaps the Fiat 500, since it’s a car not (yet) sold here. Same goes for the Equus, the new top dog from Hyundai. I was happy to see the new Mercedes SLS and Lexus LF-A in the flesh, since they’re both cars that will probably never see the likes of Wausau. Fisker made a welcome appearance, as did the Lotus Evora and a pair of Lamborghinis.

Notable Exclusions

Saab was missing, which was disappointing but not a huge surprise given the turbulence of the brand lately. I was really hoping to see the new 9-5 and 9-4x but I guess I’ll have to wait for them to recombobulate themselves. Also notably absent was Porsche (although it was represented by a local dealer so I did finally get to see the Panamera) and other high-dollar offerings like Bentley and Ferrari. Edit: also Tesla.

Best Display

My first instinct is to give this one to Audi, since they decided to make all of their cars the same color (and it’s my favorite color). Scion also had a strong showing despite not having any interesting cars. In terms of the vehicles themselves, though, it’s hard not to like Ford. Between the 2011 Mustangs, the Fiesta, the new Focus (finally), the Taurus, the Raptor, and their myriad of other great vehicles, it’s hard not to have a lot of hope for the American auto industry.

Worst Display

While there were a fair number of merely average displays, only a few qualify as completely phoned in. The Fiat display was nothing to write home about: two cars and two models, roped off from the general public. All four were boring. The Maserati wasn’t much better; it just sat there lonesomely on its turntable, surrounded by Fiats and Chryslers. Honorable mention goes to Land Rover for leaving all of their cars locked (dicks!).

Best of Show

Despite the recession, there were a lot of great cars this year. The SLS is certainly a looker, and I was actually really excited about the Toyota FT-CH concept (NERD!) because it embodies everything I want to see in the future of day-to-day cars: creative design elements, smart packaging, and an efficient powerplant.

Worst Place

Again, there was a lot of good, and a lot of average, and very little that was just unequivocally bad. But there was one car there I could never, ever, EVER spend money on, and that would be the smart. Completely useless in pretty much every way, and to add insult to injury, it’s way overpriced. It’s like a MINI with none of the fun or practicality. Worst concept goes to the Chrysler Lancia Delta… thing. As Autoblog said so eloquently:

You are looking at… well, no one at the Chrysler booth seemed to know exactly what this is. They didn’t even have a proper name for it.

And it’s true. It was just… there, the wallflower of the Chrysler display. It wanted our attention but nobody could say why it deserved it.

Let me begin by apologizing for the near incident that occurred last week. As someone whose feet are in his top three preferred modes of transportation (pending weather and destination), I want to say that I understand the hassles that accompany being a pedestrian in this fine city we both call home, and that those hassles are only compounded when vehicles (large and small) become involved.

However, I feel that there are a few things that went awry in this situation that could have easily led to a catastrophe. I would begin by suggesting that, when you inevitably need to cross a street, you choose a location other than a few yards around what is essentially a blind corner for traffic. You could’ve begun at the corner itself, where I would’ve been able to see you before I turned, or you could’ve walked the extra block to the next intersection where there are crosswalks and crossed there, or even waited until you were a few yards further down the block so my experience wasn’t just “turning-BOOM-pedestrian” (fortunately not literally).

I am happy you were at least as far from the corner as you were, as when I rounded the corner (with no stop sign, mind you) there was a fair gap between the right side of the street (where you had come from) and where you presently were (nearly in the middle of the road). As such, I altered my course appropriately, veering slightly more toward the right to give extra space between you and my vehicle. I chose this approach as it represented a clear path for me without inhibiting your progress, since it’s preferable for me as a pedestrian to, well, get my ass out of the street as soon as possible since that’s where cars go.

Imagine my surprise, then, when instead of continuing on your way (or even stopping in the middle of the street, similar to a deer!), you decided the best course of action was to jump backwards into the path of my car. You got me good here – I definitely was NOT expecting that move! As I steered to the left in an attempt to avoid your maneuver, I was already sensing futility in this exercise, and was not disappointed when you jumped back the left, and in front of me a second time.

At this point I must ask if you’ve ever been walking down a hallway and encountered someone going the opposite way? If so, you’ll be familiar with that awkward little dance that happens when right of way is being determined. Between two (relatively) slow-moving people, it’s little more than an annoyance. However, I would not recommend playing this game with a car, or really anything larger than yourself. I’ll just say that I’m glad I stopped and did not hit you, but only because of the hassle it saved me in the end. I’d highly recommend that next time this happens to you (and given your self-righteous tirade afterwards, I’m sure it will), you act in a more predictable manner instead of like some sort of wild animal.

2008 ended last week, I guess. I feel like I wrote a decent amount, and I had every intention of writing a sort of “year in review” type of post. But I never got to a point where I had the right tone in my head, so instead I present you with this meme I found on the internerd. INTERNERD.

Achievements & Landmarks

What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before?

Lost weight on purpose. Went into debt for a car that I fell in love with.

Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

I guess so, and probably not. They were always a half-hearted promise to eat better and take better care of myself. Also I’m pretty sure I was resolving about a Mac Pro heavily at this time last year.

Did anyone close to you give birth?

Uh, our neighbors? Or did you mean emotionally close? Then no.

Did anyone close to you die?

Sort of close. It would be wrong to say we weren’t close at some point.

What countries did you visit?

This one.

What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?

Patience.

What was your biggest achievement of the year?

I don’t think there’s one big thing that stands out, but I’m really proud of the work I did on Over the River and Through the Woods and Sweeney Todd. And losing weight counts as a major thing for me.

What was your biggest failure?

I let things fall by the wayside that shouldn’t have, and got angry way more than I should have.

What was the best thing you bought?

The Mac was the most practical best thing, and the Miata was the least practical best thing.

Whose behavior merited celebration?

What? Not mine, that’s for sure.

Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

People I thought I could trust. Myself included.

Where did most of your money go?

Toys. Lots of toys.

What did you get really, really, really excited about?

Grand Theft Auto IV. Driving stick. Singing in public.

What song will always remind you of 2008?

Monsters, by Matchbook Romance. Lame, I know, but it got me stoked for rides at Nine Mile.

Compared to this time last year, are you:

Happier or sadder?

Sadder, but I shouldn’t be.

Thinner or fatter?

Way, way thinner.

Richer or poorer?

Richer.

Miscellany

What do you wish you’d done more of?

Enjoying myself. Letting things go.

What do you wish you’d done less of?

Worrying. Spending money.

How did you be spend Christmas?

With people whose company I enjoy.

Did you fall in love in 2008?

Only on stage.

How many one-night stands?

None.

What was your favorite TV program?

I enjoyed SNL, as usual. Surprise second goes to Prison Break for no reason whatsoever.

Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

Yeah.

What was the best book you read?

I don’t know – something that was on the bookshelf.

What was your greatest musical discovery?

Stephen Sondheim. The man is a genius.

What did you want and get?

Dollars, which enabled me to get many other things that I wanted.

What did you want and not get?

Resolution. Recognition.

What were your favorite films of this year?

Iron Man, easily. Dark Knight was also enjoyable.

What did you do on your birthday?

Complain. It was a tough day for me this year. That’s what I get for being born on Christmas Eve.

How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?

“Hey, this fits me now!”

What kept you sane?

The internerd. Driving. Acting.

Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

Obama would be a logical answer.

What political issue stirred you the most?

Obvious also starts with an “O”.

Who did you miss?

People I could only talk to online.

Who was the best new person you met?

Somebody who helps keep me sane.

Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008:

Let. It. Go.

Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:

I don’t think I can. That’s pretty lame, even for this.

Here’s a list of reasons why I’ve all but resigned to throwing each successive issue in the garbage until my subscription expires, as provided by the September 2007 issue:

• Page 18: Proclaims that the new race-bred F430, instead of being called the Challeng Stradale, will be called the 430 LP (”Light Pista”). Wrong. It’s called the Scuderia.
• Page 19: Horrible (in-house) concept drawing of a car that Ferrari acknowledges they’re not even building. What’s the point?
• Page 20: Photo of the first-gen Focus, which was available here, accompanying an article referring to the second-gen Europe-specific car.
• Page 21: Two large photos of an Audi RS6 test mule, accompanying a fear-mongering headline about the discontinuation of the RS4. This just in: Honda is discontinuing the Accord. So they can release a new one.
• Page 21: Same article. Used the word blogosphere.
• Page 26: Really, really unflattering photo of designer Frank Stephenson. The guy is a stud, but you wouldn’t know it from this photo.
• Page 76 Article about the Subaru WRX called, and I quote, “omgwrxlol.” Yes, seriously. Too much internet focus, especially when it gets to the point of referring to usernames regarding forum talk about the (ugly) new WRX. They promise to “set the record straight,” about what I don’t know. It’s still ugly.

I don’t know if I’m pleased or disappointed to come up with that many things, but man, that magazine just leaves me with a chip on my shoulder.

Warm(ish) weather is starting to show up again, which makes me happy. Of course, that means the last couple of days have been spent thinking of open air motoring, either in the form of a convertible or a motorcycle.

At the top of the list is a Honda Civic Del Sol. I have loved this car ever since its debut when I was still in middle school. I really like Honda’s practical approach to open motoring; rather than offer a traditional ragtop, they use a panel that unlatches and stores in the trunk. Combine this with the Honda drivability that I love so much, and it’s a definite winner. Why don’t I have one? Because a) there’s still nowhere to store it and b) I can’t freaking find one.

Both of those problems are solved with option #2: a motorcycle. I really, really like the Suzuki SV650. It’s got the looks, the powerplant (not too crazy) and most importantly, it’s almost ridiculously easy to find a great deal on a lightly used one from a dealer. I’ve seen last year’s models going for under $5K which is a steal for a basically new bike. Why don’t I have one? Because I still can’t convince myself that a motorcycle is a good idea. I had one (non-serious) mishap on the scooter when I owned it that kind of turned me off of the whole 2-wheels thing. I was into it last year when I got my motorcycle license, but the interest and novelty faded and left me glad that I didn’t buy anything.

I might be swayed if I found an old Honda Nighthawk or similar bike for cheap in the area, but I don’t see myself going any other route. I really do enjoy cars more than bikes, but it’s just so impractical to have more than one and I can’t justify ditching my car for something less practical either. For now I’ll just have to settle for windows down, sunroof-open, shift-free cruising.

There’s an aura of difficulty and stubbornness that seems to surround the Department of Motor Vehicles, at least in many peoples’ minds. I’ll admit, I was feeling a little stressed when I entered this morning, thanks to their succinct instructions:

1. Take a number
2. Fill out a form
3. Wait for your number to be called

I always liked #2 the best, as though as long as you were filling out some sort of form, you were fine. But my problem is that I’m completely helpless in situations like this, and so I wasn’t sure what form to fill out to change my address (answer: new license application).

But I think much of the stigma comes from the gruff-ish attitude of the staff there, as though they don’t need your business. Truth is, they’re just trying to get stuff done, same as everybody. They want to continue to proceed in an orderly fashion, so if that means you have to leave the window to fill out another form, deal with it.

Fortunately, I made sure to fill out the forms I thought I might need just in case, which put me on the fast track to new license-ism. Hotness.

The most important thing to remember when visiting the DMV is the thing that causes most people to stress out: don’t be in a hurry. The nicer you are, the nicer everybody else is. I had to laugh (internally) at the huffy girl after me in the line to get a new license, acting as though having to wait in line or write things was super-hard.

• The Acura RDX is interesting, but not interesting enough to get out of the car. Especially if you’re hungry.
• There is a Chipotle Grill near the Acura dealership in Bloomington. This is an exciting development, because it picked up what otherwise turned out to be an almost totally unproductive day.
• IKEA Minneapolis, I give up. You were temporarily oversold on not one, but both of the items I came there to buy. Last time we tried to buy a shelf you didn’t have any on the floor, and were unable to take them down from the overhead area before the next day. That’s… inconvenient to say the least. Word has it that 65% of your customer base is local, so this kind of service, while inconvenient, may be okay with them. But that leaves 35% of your customers that drive hours from other areas only to exit empty-handed. It seems as though you’re not familiar with inventory management, which is sad because even Wal-Mart is better at it than you.
• Marshall Field’s has officially transitioned to Macy’s, marking the 2nd name change for all the local stores in less than 5 years.
• If you plan on visiting the Genius Bar at the Apple Store, prepare to wait.
• The 24″ iMac is beyond ridiculous. Abe thought it looked blurry.
• The 17″ Macbook Pro has the same max resolution as my 20″ Apple display.
• We checked Verizon, T-Mobile, and Cingular. None of them had Blackberry cases.
• CompUSA had manager’s specials on video games and that’s why they’re my favorite store. And also why I own PGR 3.
• Circuit City has an overwhelming number of large TV’s. And they were playing the same Eagles concert DVD that they were last time we were there. In July.
• It’s lame when the band you came to Minneapolis to see cancels for “a band emergency.”
• Olive Garden breadsticks and soup are good. And better when combined. Like Voltron.

A little bit of history. Quite some time ago, before I moved to Wausau, Jim Carter (the dealership) sold Mazdas (and Chevrolets). Shortly before I moved here, or maybe it was after, Jim Carter disappeared and was replaced by Kocourek Chevrolet. Mazda evaporated, maybe because they didn’t have much to offer at the time, and so for at least 5 years Wausau has been Mazda-less in spite of its size.

Along the same line, Kocourek recently (in spring 06 or so) filled their import brand void by buying Wausau Imports (Nissan, Saab, Audi, and VW – easily my favorite for window shopping). In this new arrangement, Imports moved into what used to be the Saturn of Wausau dealership, conveniently located across from Kocourek. Saab, however, was moved to Kocourek’s GM building, presumably because of being part of GM.

In the meantime, Mazda was still nowhere to be found, until this week. Fred Mueller (GMC, Buick, and Pontiac) has added an import line to their arsenal with their new Mazda franchise. Like I said, a few years ago, Mazda didn’t bring much to the table. Now though, they have quite a lineup and I’m happy to see they’ve returned because I hated having to drive 40 minutes to look at them. Furthermore, the dude I talked to there (part of the Mueller family) was super nice and very enthusiastic about their new acquisition.

Overall, it’s been an interesting year for the car market in Wausau.

That’s right; I was making a list. And so it goes:

I want a new phone. For the longest time I’ve been digging on the Samsung A900 (aka “Blade” aka “the Samsung RAZR”). It’s got the rad moves, and it plays those newfangled AAC files with little to no effort! The only issue is that it’s slightly on the pricey side, and there’s no contract (re)signing to soften the blow.

The MOTOFONE is a worthy contender.

There’s a new contender that’s recently entered the ring. I’m not talking about that Katana thing; I’m not such a fan. But I’m super stoked on the recently announced MOTOFONE. I love it for its simplicity, but there are two outstanding issues:

1. It doesn’t flip.
2. Who even knows if it will end up with Sprint? Their track record for carrying other skinny Motos isn’t exactly, well, existent.

Other stuff:

• The time has not yet arrived, but I see an Xbox 360 in the future, eventually.
• I mentioned this before, I think, but I’m liking that Canon Digital Rebel XT.
• Nearest in the future is a Trollpod. It ships this month and I’m looking forward to seeing reviews of it.

We went camping with some friends this weekend, and that was fun, but the State Park pass system sucks. You can either buy a year-long pass for $25 or a day pass for $8.

The better deal is obviously to buy the year pass, but the problem is it’s this terrible sticker that you have to permanently affix to your windshield. There are a couple problems with this:

1. I don’t like sticking crap to my car. And this crap doesn’t come off so after the year is up you’re left with a permanently useless sticker.
2. Each pass is intended to be paired with a vehicle which really doesn’t make much sense from a consumer standpoint. Why not offer a tag or static sticker that can be moved from car to car? That way when my car is inevitably getting fixed I can swap the pass to Abe’s car or vice versa. If you really want to get technical, join the 21st century and let each pass be paired with up to 2 or 3 different vehicles and that’s it.
3. I don’t like sticking crap to my car, especially ugly crap.
4. If you decide you want to take your motorcycle to the park, you’d have to stick this to your bike. Furthermore, on bikes without windshields the front part of the sticker is adhered to the surface leaving only the back visible, and I’m sure this is too much for a typical warden to wrap his or her head around.
5. People don’t like sticking crap to their motorcycle either, nor do they like buying motorcyles with crap stuck to them.
6. The Parks Department is retarded.

This should be a good week:

• I’ll hopefully see my car again.
• I should have the new stuff for my bike.
• Abe will get his new toy registered.
• I maybe get to drive Abe’s new toy some more (hee!).

Good stuff, and it’s all vehicle-related (my favorite kind of stuff!).

When I bought my car it wasn’t long before I started researching possible connectivity options for my iPod. I was directed to the Trollpod by a member of one of the boards I was on. It was in development at the time, so I browsed around a bit, signed up for the mailing list, and promptly forgot about it.

Last week I got an email from the dude saying that he was planning to start shipping in August and the Trollpod is now available for pre-orders. I’m still trying to get some more information before I make the decision but it sounds pretty promising. It’s basically a small adapter that lets the iPod plug into the CD changer port on the back of the Saab’s factory head unit. I’m not sure if it lets you control the iPod through the radio controls (which would be cool) but it at least provides a line-level input and charges the iPod.

The Trollpod will sell for $150 and works with early 9-3’s (when they were still cool) and most 9-5’s. Like I said, I’m not planning on buying one right now, but I am quite interested in seeing how well they work.

On a slightly related note, hopefully I’ll have my car back soon so I can finish another project.

Friday, Saturday and Sunday were spent learning the ins and outs of riding motorcycles in a basic rider safety course. Abe took it so he can get a license for his new ride; I took it because motorcycles are cool and I’ve never ridden one. We both had a blast in spite of the combination of sweltering heat, extra clothing and hot asphalt, and we both aced the written and range tests.

The course was invaluable and I’d recommend it to anyone with a free weekend and even a passing interest in motorcycles. And although I don’t currently own a bike (keyword: currently), it will make me more aware as a driver. And now I’m all cool cause I can say that I have a motorcycle license.

So the Saab is out of commission this week while I await the return of my mechanic so he can check out an oiling issue. It’s for this reason that I dragged my bike out of the basement and have been taking that to work instead. I enjoy it — I’ve always enjoyed biking — but I’m realizing that I’m less and less prone to taking risks and/or showing off. I like to think this is partially a result of me biking to commute rather than for recreation, meaning I don’t make an effort. At the same time, minor things like approaching curves at acute angles and anything else vaguely technical gets me nervous, which is sad.

These are things that I used to be able to handle without issue, and now I’m not so sure. It’s boiling down to an overwhelming loss of confidence and I suppose that can be attributed toward a few things. One of the biggest factors was probably my minor mishap last year. The next largest, or maybe equal, is that I have not been on a bike for a long time for anything more than a basic ride around town. That’s what I need to change, as my bike is certainly more capable than I am right now.